Because I Love You
by DestinyCrusader
Summary: "Kagami tried to pull his hand away, but Daiki was holding on too hard. He had more to say. 'And I like you, dumbass.'" A collection of Aokaga one-shots, ranging from strange babysitting experiences to warzones. Both canon-verse and AU. T through M Content.
1. Monsters in the Dark

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroko no Basket. **

**WARNING: Language.**

**Rating: T**

**For Irej, who has always been there when I have needed to vent feelings or simply fangirl. Happy Birthday! **

**This one's completely AU— Kagami x Aomine in an all-boys boarding school.**

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_**Monsters in the Dark**_

Kagami couldn't sleep. No matter how hard he tried, his eyelids wouldn't stay closed, his heartbeat wouldn't slow, and he wouldn't stop seeing monsters lurk within the darkness. He tried counting by fives, eyes squeezed shut. He tried humming the lullaby his mother used to sing to him when she was still alive. He tried thinking about all the things that he loved, all the things that made him want to keep breathing. He could think of nothing.

He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be home, in the confines of his room, a twelve-year-old boy doing twelve-year-old things. He wanted to breathe for once without having to dodge another one of his father's badly-aimed empty (or sometimes not-so-empty) beer bottles, without cleaning up fresh wounds running up and down his arms, bruises where his father had gripped him too hard. He wanted to be in his own bed, with his mother beside him, not in some rickety old cot at some boy's school where they slapped the palm of your hand with a ruler if you chuckled at a bad joke in class.

He shuddered, and closed his eyes again. But it made the world darker, more frightening, so his eyelids snapped open once more. And he gasped when he saw yet another pair of eyes, so close he could almost feel the thing's breath on his face.

The eyes blinked at him.

"You still awake, huh?"

This monster could talk. Kagami sat up slightly, amazed. They had never tried to communicate with him before. He opened his mouth, closed it again. Didn't know what to say.

"So, you gonna move over or what, dumbass?"

This time he moved. He inched backwards so there was more room on the bed, and when the creature crawled in beside him he realized it was not a creature at all, but someone just like him, only with darker skin and the prettiest blue hair.

"I can't sleep either," the boy said. It seemed he didn't need a response from Kagami at all. He turned a navy blue gaze his way. "You wanna know why?"

Kagami cleared his throat. "Why?" He said. It came out a whisper.

The boy grinned. "Because night time is best of all."

"No it isn't." The words had just tumbled out of him. He bit his lip, realizing that he was lucky someone was talking to him at all, that he couldn't blow it this time. He had arrived two months ago and yet not a single person had ever greeted him in the morning.

"Hey, you're the kid who got everyone three hours of detention, didn't you? For skipping class?"

Oh no. He knew. Kagami felt his face grow red. "Yeah, so?"

"Man, that is awesome."

Kagami's heart lifted. "It is?"

The boy nodded, hair scratching against the single pillow. "Hell yeah it is. What's your name?"

The redhead paused. "Taiga," he said slowly, carefully. He waited for jeering laughter. Instead he was met with another brilliant smile.

"Daiki."

Kagami shifted so that he was looking at the ceiling. "I hate the night," he murmured. He wasn't sure why he was still speaking, why he wanted to spill every thought that had ever occurred to him into the ears of this boy who was probably only here because he was bored, and nothing else.

Daiki didn't respond to Kagami's confession. Instead he said, "so who sent you here?"

"What if I told you I came here myself?"

Daiki scoffed. "You didn't come here by himself. Unless you're stupid." He looked at him, long, hard, calculating.

Kagami wasn't stupid. He sighed. "My dad."

"My uncle's a piece of shit, too."

Kagami cringed. He had never been allowed to say words like that. It always led to yelling, to things being thrown at him from across the kitchen counter.

"So why are you afraid of the dark?" This boy was just brimming with questions. Kagami exhaled softly.

"Because of the monsters."

Daiki didn't answer. Kagami _was _stupid. He was old enough, he knew there were no monsters. He knew he was just staring at shadows on walls, at things oddly put together. He knew. It wasn't his fault he saw them.

Suddenly, fingers grazed against his hands. He jumped slightly but stilled, realizing it was only Daiki, who was suddenly closer, warmer. He didn't even have to turn his head to see Daiki's eyes, looking directly at him and only at him, as if the two of them were alone in the world.

"I'll protect you," Daiki said, beaming up at him once more like the brightest ray of light.

"Why?" This time he had meant to ask. Because he didn't understand. Because he had only seen Daiki from afar, bouncing on the balls of his feet, making people laugh, getting into fights with the older boys who had been here much longer. He had only hoped to be as brave. He just rushed into things and always ended with black eyes.

Daiki chuckled, a nice sound. "Because you're stupid."

Kagami tried to pull his hand away, but Daiki was holding on too hard. He had more to say.

"And I like you, dumbass."

* * *

**As aforementioned, these will range from cute moments like these to melting hot to extremely depressing. You have been warned.**

**This is my first Aomine x Kagami. All criticism is welcome.**

**~DestinyCrusader**


	2. Babysitting

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroko no Basket. **

**WARNING: Language, explicit content.**

**Rating: M**

**Slightly less-AU. Future Kuroko no Basket. Kagami accidentally agrees to babysit Riko's daughter. It's going all right until Aomine decides to climb in through his window in the middle of the night.**

* * *

_**Babysitting**_

Kagami didn't know how it happened. He remembered Kuroko dragging him along to Riko's shopping spree (because the poor guy couldn't survive alone), recalled nodding absentmindedly while Riko chatted on and on and on about Hyuga's new job at some-place-or-other, but also about how he didn't have enough time for poor little Shizuko.

"She needs to spend more time with her father," Riko complained, seemingly tossing things into the shopping cart at random, Shizuko keeping pace with them, clutching the helm of her mother's dress, chewing her lip thoughtfully. Kagami had glanced over at Kuroko, but the little shit had been purposefully looking away, as if enticed with the store's new collection of carrots.

So Kagami had tuned her out, murmuring a couple of "yeah's" here and there, and eventually he had gone home (but not after giving Kuroko a good thwack on the head for having dragged him into the horrendous affair).

But then the next day Riko had appeared at his doorstep, Shizuko in tow, talking about how "Shizu" didn't like dark places or anything cold, that she only drank strawberry milk, that she had nightmares sometimes and music calmed her down.

Kagami stared blankly at Riko. His former coach sighed. The years had treated her well; she had gotten taller and curvier, and had grown her hair out so it hung past her shoulders. Now she placed a hand on her hip, shaking her head.

"You do remember your promise, right?"

"My what?"

She glared at him. Even now, years after the last basketball match he had ever played, she was frightening. "You said you'd let Shizuko stay the night so I could go with Junpei on his business trip, remember?"

"When the fuck did I do that?"

"Yesterday at the mall." Riko scowled. "Too bad, you can't take it back now. I'll be here tomorrow at two to pick her up, m'kay?" She gave him one of her sweetest, creepiest smiles. "No funny business, or I'll slit your throat."

"Your mother scares me," Kagami admitted to Shizuko once Riko was out of earshot, climbing into her car and waving at her daughter. Shizuko giggled.

As it turned out, Shizuko was no trouble at all. She had brought along plenty of books (Kagami was surprised she could read so well at six years old) and other toys to occupy herself with. In fact, Kagami actually fell asleep in front of the T.V. only to wake up three hours later and find that she had already microwaved herself a bowl of mac-n-cheese. _Just like Riko, _Kagami thought almost nostalgically. She relied on no one. It made him sad and happy at the same time.

It was night time that Kagami found the trickiest. And only because of a certain dark-haired miscreant who decided to break into his house. Into his _room_.

Kagami had just returned from tucking Shizuko into her bed in the guest room, making sure her nightlight was on and illuminated almost two-thirds of the room. Now he stood at his doorway, sighing at the sight of Aomine, wearing only a tank top and jeans, as if he had just dragged himself off his couch.

Then again, maybe he had.

"What the hell are you doing here, Daiki?"

Aomine rolled his eyes. "I was bored."

"You can't be here right now," Kagami said impatiently. He didn't have time for Aomine's antics. He fell onto his bed, glaring at the man still standing in front of the window he had climbed in from. He really needed to remember to get a lock for that. "Riko's girl is here, and I don't want to get murdered tomorrow."

"Aw, don't be like that," suddenly Aomine was under the covers with him, one hand snaking around his waist, the other tugging up his shirt. "You already put her to bed, didn't you? Why can't we have a little fun?"

Kagami shoved Aomine away. "She's still awake, asshole. Go home."

Aomine frowned, inching closer to him once more. His lips brushed Kagami's ear, making a shudder run down his spine. "She doesn't have to hear anything," he whispered.

Kagami made a sound of protest (perhaps to say, "how could she _not _hear anything?"), but Aomine's hand was under his shirt again, calloused fingers skating higher and higher, tracing patterns in the crook of his neck. In the dim light his lips found Kagami's and they wrestled for a moment, Kagami trying to prolong the kiss, Aomine in a hurry to get his pants off. Kagami was already losing breath, feeling elatedly smothered by Aomine's bare skin on his—when had he taken his shirt off?

He felt the darker man's breath on his face, fast-paced and hot. He felt his lips being forced open, and he let out the softest of groans, which only made Aomine all the more eager. At long last he seemed to have unbuttoned his pants, his hands now fumbling almost clumsily with Kagami's belt.

"Uncle Gami?"

They both froze before Kagami hurriedly broke away, trying to catch his breath, pulling his shirt back down. Shizuko stood at the doorway, brown eyes wide with what Kagami identified as fear.

"Yeah?" He cleared his throat when his voice cracked. "What is it?"

The desperate look on Shizuko's face momentarily flickered into confusion as her eyes adjusted to the dark and her gaze settled on Aomine beside him, still bare-chested, mouth slightly open.

"Minecchi uncle? What are _you _doing here?"

"Nothing," Kagami said quickly, getting out of bed, suddenly glad Aomine had not succeeded in removing his pants for that would have been really hard to explain. He crouched down so his eyes were level with Shizuko's. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Shizuko nodded. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Yeah, uh, sure." Taking her hand, Kagami lead her to his bed. Somehow, Aomine had found his shirt from wherever he had thrown it on the floor and pulled it back on. Kagami directed a glare at the unwelcome (yet perhaps welcome) visitor.

"Go home."

Shizuko shook her head hastily, already shimmying up the mattress. "Minecchi uncle doesn't have to go. I like him too."

Aomine grinned at him. "See? She said I could stay."

Kagami growled and then spoke under his breath. "You better have your pants on, bastard." Aomine seemed to hear him for he nodded quickly, knowing full well Kagami would throw him out if he really had to.

Shizuko made herself comfortable as Kagami climbed back into bed after her. She rested her head on Aomine's arm, curling up slightly against his warmth, sandwiched between the two men.

"Goodnight," she said, and she had only closed her eyes for a moment before her small chest was rising and falling. Aomine met Kagami's gaze. "She reminds you of a nicer version of Riko, yeah?"

Kagami nodded in agreement, his eyelids closing of their own accord. He hadn't realized how tired he was.

"So," Aomine said, pulling him back from the brink of slumber. "Now that she's asleep…"

Kagami cracked open an eyelid. "What?"

Aomine's eyes glinted mischeviously. "Maybe, y'know, if we moved her to the side, we could—"

"No."

* * *

**Agh. I'm so embarrassed. This is the farthest I have gone into the realms of explicit, you guys. Please tell me how I did.**

**Until next time!**

**~DestinyCrusader**


	3. One Last Time

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroko no Basket.**

**Warning: Strong Language**

**Rating: M**

**Slightly AU.**

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_**One Last Time**_

Aomine Daiki was a grown man. And he was crying. He was fucking crying, because _damn _that Bakagami for doing this to him, for narrowing him down to a boy with his heart on his sleeve, a boy standing outside a hospital room with flowers his mother had shoved into his hands. The hallway clock ticked incessantly, counting down time before despair came. Wishing it would all just end already, he took a deep breath and opened the door.

The first thing he saw was his hair, in stark contrast against white sheets. It had been the first thing he had noticed that night at Momoi's party, when a drunk Kagami had sauntered over to where he had been sitting and offered him a beer. Where they had ended up tangled to each other, all flesh and limbs and heavy breaths, until Midorima that son-of-a-bitch had wrenched them apart and told them to "get a damn room." He wanted to smile at the memory. Instead he felt his heart sink even lower.

Kagami looked up when he entered. His gaze was dull, no longer as bright and fiery as that first night in the dark. He raised a hand in greeting, a weak attempt at a wave. Aomine didn't return the gesture. Instead he tossed the flowers so they lay on the floor.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Kagami held within him a resigned silence that wasn't really like him at all. He had seen this all before. He was used to it by now. It didn't make it any less worse.

His voice was hoarse when he spoke, peppered with coughs. "I'm sorry, Daiki."

Aomine felt something inside him burn at the sound of his name. "What, we're on first name's now? That's the best you can fucking come up with?"

Kagami turned his eyes away. "It's my last chance."

Aomine had crossed the room in too long strides, snatching up Kagami's hands, crushing them between his. "You're not allowed to give me that bullshit, baka! You're not allowed to just…_give up_!"

Because the truth was, Aomine had fallen in love with the Kagami who always fought back. Because he had enjoyed the passion in his eyes when they went one-on-one, his nervous laughter when he was excited. It wasn't supposed to end like this.

"They already told me, Daiki. No more than six hours now." He coughed again, body wracked with spasms, until he pulled his hand away and there was blood there. He wiped it quickly with an already-bloodied cloth on the table beside him. Aomine hadn't noticed it.

He felt the will draining out of him. He fell into a chair, dragging it closer to Kagami's bed, still clasping the paler boy's hands.

"This isn't how you're supposed to go, dammit."

Kagami laughed weakly. "How was it I was supposed to go?"

Aomine looked up at him. "With me. Years from now."

"I didn't know you were so sentimental, asshole."

"Stop joking around!" Aomine was aware his voice was shaking. He didn't care. "Just…stop…"

"Can I have one last one?" There was a tenderness in Kagami's voice that Aomine had only heard under the sheets of his bed, whispered into his hair when they showered. He felt his heart collapse, so far down now he wasn't sure how much more it could withstand.

"One last…what?"

"Just a kiss," Kagami murmured, laying back so his head rested against the pillows. He closed his eyes. "Just one."

Aomine shook his head. "I can't do it."

"Please." Kagami's eyes opened a fraction. "So you won't miss me."

"You can't…change that." And now there were more tears that he couldn't stop. And even as he spoke he stood up, bending over so their foreheads touched, so that their breaths mingled. "You can't change a damn thing. You're already leaving me."

"I'm sorry," Kagami said again, lips moving so slowly that Aomine would not have heard him at all if he weren't so close.

"Don't be," he said at last, and he finally closed the remaining space between them, so that their lips met with the intensity of a thousand storm clouds breaking across the sky. He let himself succumb to the kiss, even though he hated the dryness of Kagami's lips, the wetness of his cheeks smearing against his face. When they finally broke apart Kagami was finding it hard to breathe, mouth opening and closing in an attempt to suck in air—and yet, he was smiling.

And Aomine fell back into his seat. And he held onto Kagami's hand as the clock ticked down.

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**I made myself sad. I'm sorry.**

**~DestinyCrusader**


	4. Indefinite

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroko no Basket.**

**WARNING: Language, violence, death.**

**Rating: M**

**World War II AU.**

* * *

**_Indefinite_**

It was as if his every sense had been erased, leaving behind only nothingness. For a moment he was nowhere, floating in a vast abyss of darkness, tangible weight pressing down on him.

And then that moment was over and the ground was shaking again, and there was dust in his eyes and his leg seared with pain. He sucked in another gulp of air even though his lungs were on the verge of exploding, and he plunged downward—

—into the next trench. He lost his balance, tripping over his own feet, wet mud encasing his arms, fading against his dark skin. He swore on the top of his lungs because no one could hear him anyway, until he landed at the bottom, the slash on his leg ripping open again. The world tilted and shifted underneath him, and his ears rang with the piercing cries of shells before they made craters in the Earth. He looked up at the trench's horizon, at the beginning of more unknown.

Around him, more and more soldiers were sliding into the trenches, their guns still clasped firmly between their fingers.

All he saw was fear.

No one paid him any attention. He pressed his palms against the flowing blood, cringing, biting his tongue.

"You all right?"

He looked up, meeting concerned copper eyes, half-hidden under a dirtied helmet.

Aomine tried to answer, but all that came out was a broken groan.

The other man nodded, expression suddenly determined. Before Aomine could protest, the man pulled his injured leg out from under him, making him stagger but somehow retain his balance. Aomine caught a glimpse of red hair under the helmet as the other soldier slipped ripped a piece off his own pants and began to wrap it around his leg.

"You don't need to—_fuck—_"

The man laughed. He _laughed. _

Aomine felt anger and embarrassment rise up inside him. The soldier finished tying the knot, and as he did his helmet slipped off completely. His hair was more than just red, it was bright and vivid, and it almost blinded him.

He seemed to forget what he was supposed to be angry about. And then he realized that the pain in his leg was almost gone, and an apology fell out of his lips instead.

"Th-Thank you."

The soldier reached down to pick up his helmet. For a moment they both stared at the ocean of water and dirt on the inside. The red-haired soldier laughed first, and soon Aomine was laughing along with him, feeling surreal, detached, away from all that made his world hell.

And then the red-haired soldier was crying. Tears rolled down his face, creating visible tracks through the mud smudged on his cheeks. And Aomine crouched there, his leg freshly bandaged, his lips cracked, throat dry. He wasn't sure what to say, whether to comfort the man or to leave him there by himself.

"I—"

The red-haired man cleared his throat and wiped at his face quickly. "Sorry," he said, though it was barely above a whisper. And he looked down at his feet. "Kuroko."

"What?"

The soldier shook his head. Sweat rolled into his eyes, and he blinked quickly. "Nothing. No one." He took a shuddering breath. "I'm…not alright."

Aomine felt the strangest urge to say something. "I'm not alright either."

The red-haired man stopped. His eyes were the strangest color, red but not quite so, brown but not quite so. In the middle, in the depths of uncertainty. A safe haven.

The shrieking stopped, and silence fell. They shared frightened gazes.

"You ready?" the redhead asked.

Aomine nodded. "But first, I gotta…know the name of my partner."

He smiled again, as if he had never shed a single tear in his life. "Kagami Taiga."

Kagami pulled Aomine's arm around his shoulder, hoisting him up.

"Glad to meet you down here in hell," Aomine said under his breath.

And together they ascended towards the horizon of the indefinite.

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**Because War AUs tend to be terribly depressing, I tried to make mine light.**

**Sort of.**

**~DestinyCrusader**


	5. Torn

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroko no Basket.**

**WARNING: Strong language, mature content, angst. Lots of angst.**

**Thanks to: My reviewers!**

**Rating: M**

**A gang AU.**

* * *

_**Torn**_

"Fucking bastards."

Wakamatsu was leaning against the doorframe of the abandoned gas station's convenience store. Aomine, stretched out on the counter with his back against the wall, cracked open an eye.

"Who?"

"Seirin, who else?" He snarled. His white-blond hair shined in the dim artificial light of the store. The red band tied around his forearm had come loose, dangling pitifully at his wrist, the word _Touou _already beginning to fade even though Aomine had gotten everyone new ones just last week. Got into another fight with Sakurai, probably.

Aomine yawned, closing his eyes again. "Everyone's a fucking bastard to you, Wakamatsu."

The burly man in the doorway crossed his arms over his chest. "I take that as an insult."

"It _was _an insult, idiot."

Aomine expected a hell of a lot more barking from the guy and prepared to fall back asleep when the bell jingled again and Imayoshi's calm voice brought him back from the edge.

"They sent Kuroko."

He sat up, swinging his legs over the counter before dropping down to his feet. He absentmindedly tugged at his own armband before running a hand through his hair.

"I guess I'm gonna have to talk to him."

He punched Wakamatsu's shoulder as he passed.

* * *

Kuroko was waiting in the parking lot of the gas station, right where Touou's territory ended and Seirin's began. He was always too perfect, that kid, even now when they weren't really friends anymore.

"Tetsu." He lifted a hand in salute.

Kuroko nodded. "Kagami sent me. He has a message for you."

"Another one?" he asked, letting out a long sigh.

Kuroko tugged at his shirt, his Seirin tattoo slightly visible above his collarbone. "He says tomorrow at noon, at the usual spot."

Aomine tilted his head at him. "Aren't you ever curious?"

"About what?"

The taller boy shrugged. "You know. Why the hell your leader and I keep meeting. What we're doing, even though we're supposed to be at war with each other."

Kuroko paused for a moment, deep in thought. He blinked up at the boy who had once been his best friend. Then his blue eyes seemed to deepen, his lips tugging at the slightest of smiles that only Aomine could have noticed.

"No. I trust Kagami."

Aomine grinned. "Figured you would say that. Tell your boss I'll see him there."

Kuroko nodded at him before turning to leave.

"Oh, and Tetsu?"

He paused, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Thanks for the message."

* * *

Aomine chugged down the last of his water and tossed the empty bottle at his feet. It bounced across the locker room tiles before stopping just short of the far wall. He was still staring at it when the door opened.

He already knew who it was before he turned around. Kagami was a mere silhouette at first, a dark contrast against the sunlight filtering into the room. His red hair practically glowed. Then he stepped inside, hands pulled into fists.

Aomine anticipated the first punch even before it was thrown at him. He dodged sideways and kicked out his leg, and for a moment it seemed Kagami would be the one to fall. But then that moment was over and the redhead was coming at him again, his V-neck drenched in sweat, his tattoo shining visibly on his chest.

He had become distracted. He felt Kagami's knuckles slam against his jaw and he staggered backwards. Kagami wasn't going to miss this opportunity—he crashed against Aomine, sending them both toppling to the ground.

They paused. Kagami was already breathing heavily, eyes darker than usual. Aomine smiled up from under him, suddenly, widely, and Kagami couldn't help but grin back. He opened his mouth to say something.

But Aomine wasn't going to let him. He grabbed ahold of Kagami's arms on either side and twisted, so that in the next second it was Kagami who was trapped below him. The redhead's expression turned sour, but even as he struggled he couldn't break out of Aomine's iron-hard grip.

"Let. Go. _Fucking. Asshole._"

"No."

Kagami glared at him, and Aomine shrugged imperceptibly.

"Hey, _you_ called the meeting."

"I was planning to _win._"

Aomoine chuckled. "That's cute."

Kagami growled at him, and although he wouldn't necessarily admit it, Aomine found that even cuter.

"What about Kuroko?"

And now Kagami froze. Aomine had said the wrong thing, and he regretted it as soon as he saw Kagami's expression shift into pain.

"What…about him?"

"Nothing," Aomine murmured. "I don't mean anything."

Kagami narrowed his eyes, no longer struggling. "You do."

Why did the _bakagami_ do this to himself? Why did he accept pain so easily, chase after things that only gave him more anguish? Aomine was a prime example.

The blue-haired boy sighed. He lowered himself so that his lips brushed Kagami's cheek, making him shudder softly.

"He loves you," he whispered against Kagami's skin. "Can't you see that?"

Kagami turned his head away, eyes finding the abandoned plastic bottle at the foot of the lockers.

"I know."

Aomine pulled back momentarily. "And you're okay with that?"

"I—"

"Do you love him?"

This time their gazes locked. Kagami's eyes were brimming with so much despair that for a moment Aomine was sure he could find the willpower to do what he always wanted to do—leave. But then he let himself look at Kagami again, at the curve of his jaw and his slightly parted lips, and his resolve evaporated.

He closed the space between them again. "Well?" He realized he was crossing a line, but suddenly he didn't care. He loosened his grip on Kagami's wrists, tracing his lips across his neck down to his _Seirin _tattoo. He kissed the black and blue logo, and Kagami shivered again, his breath hitching.

"Do you?" he murmured.

He felt Kagami shaking his head, slowly, painstakingly. It hurt him, Aomine knew it did. It hurt him that Kuroko had surrendered his heart to the leader of his gang, to someone who had already given his own to someone else.

And Aomine had tried to return it so many times. He thought of late nights in damp hotel rooms where no one could find them, of arguments at sunrise and smashed windows. He thought of all the times he had left, and all the times he had come back.

"I'm sorry." He couldn't think of what else to say.

Kagami slipped his hands out from under Aomine's and reached out to wrap them around his neck, pulling him even closer, their lips touching for the briefest of seconds.

"Don't leave me."

His breath caught in his throat so that it took him a moment to reply. "I… I won't."

Kagami pressed his lips to his again, longer this time. Aomine let himself get swept away by the kiss, his fingers finding the tangled strands in Kagami's hair, until they broke apart and he was in the real world again.

And there were dried tears on Kagami's cheeks.

Aomine felt the strings in his heart being pulled into they broke, one by one. Kagami wiped at his eyes quickly, but it was too late.

He ripped himself away from Kagami, dropping his head on the tiles a little too hard, the sound resounding up and down the empty locker room and inside Aomine's head. He staggered to his feet, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Kagami didn't get up, just stared at him with eyes rimmed with red, tears streaked across his grimy face, chest heaving, his expression anxious, wounded, vulnerable.

"We have to stop."

Kagami pushed himself up with the palms of his hands. "Daiki—"

"Idiot, we can't keep…going on like this."

"Why?" his words were sharp, accusing. "Because of Kuroko?"

Aomine shook his head, pacing suddenly. "Because eventually someone will find out. And they won't fucking like it, Taiga, they won't. They'll have our heads."

Kagami was back on his feet, stumbling towards him. "They don't have to know."

"Kuroko…trusts you."

Kagami lunged at him, his fist connected with Aomine's shoulder. "So it _is _because of Kuroko!"

"Alright, fine!" Aomine retaliated, grabbing the folds of Kagami's shirt and throwing him against a row of lockers, holding him there. "I lied! It's because of Tetsu, because if he finds out—"

"I don't give a damn, Daiki!" Kagami spat at his face.

Aomine shook his head, laugher breaking through his mouth even though this was far from amusing. "You're lying."

Kagami cringed at that, like Aomine couldn't have said anything worse.

"I'm… I'm not." He dropped his hands to his sides, voice breaking.

"But you love him." It wasn't even a question this time.

"I _don't—_"

"Don't you fucking dare—"

"I love _you._" And he looked up at Aomine with those copper eyes he had first seen glinting in the sunlight, the shining red of brand new pennies through sheets of glass.

And their mouths connected once more, Aomine's resolve shattering for the second time, their bodies clasped together against cold blue lockers, their skin hot in comparison.

Aomine stopped to catch his breath. His heart was writhing in a place between comfort and pain, between guilt and the desire to be consoled. "No one has to know?"

Kagami kissed him again, fleetingly, before answering. "No one has to know."

* * *

**Ah. Well. Erm. I don't even know. This one may have been my favorite so far, aside from the hospital one. **

**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They make me really happy. As for a multi-chapter story… I don't really know. Honestly, I kind of ship Kagami x Kuroko more (do you feel surprised? Betrayed? Or was it evident in this one? eheh...) and so if I **_**do **_**write a multi-chapter it'll be that pairing. Or maybe this one-shot could turn into one? I'll be honest, I did really enjoy writing this, haha.**

**I'll think about it for now. Thanks again, hope y'all like it!**

**Also, I realize I really enjoy writing one-shots in general. So if you have any ideas and requests, just throw them out there and if anything sparks my inspiration it may just become another chapter.**

**~DestinyCrusader**


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